Myth War II Review

Myth War II is a free fantasy MMORPG developed by IGG. It was first introduced to the gaming community on the 6th of June, 2008, entering the closed beta phase. Myth War II includes many interesting, unique, and generally amusing features. Without naming them all, there is: the summoning and shapeshifting system, as well as deity beasts and destructive weapons and the rebirth system. However, these were none but the elements that inspired the making of the game, being previously implemented in some form in Myth War, its preceding title. New, more exciting features were carefully thought up and were brought into the game, thanks to the great development team.

General Gameplay
Firstly, Id have to say I wasnt exactly impressed by the gameplay style. I liked the combat portion of the game, being a unique style of turn based combat, but the movement was very bland and the skills werent as amazing as they were glorified on the MWII website. However, as Ive said, the combat is pretty interesting in game. One has many skills to choose from, and if you include all the interesting summoning and shapeshifting features, battles can be really amusing. There are four different races in the game: Humans, Centaur, Mage, and Borg. With these races, you can already determine there is some unique value to this title. I had a lot of fun fighting everything I saw for a short while, though it soon became repetitive. I assume the gameplay doesnt stay repetitive for long, as you keep gaining new skills and such. You may also gain, and level pets to fight with you.

Questing
Finally, a game where questing is actually an asset to the development of your character! There are so many quests types, that I was in awe. There are: leveling quests, guild race quests, treasure hunt quests, integral quests, class advancement quests, plot quests, deific title quests, and more. Most quests are not the generic kill xx and gather xx types, being much more elaborate and interesting to follow. The rewards are somewhat mediocre, but the true reward is the accomplishment (cheesy, I know). As a result of having so many different quest types, you will enjoy following the plot of the game, as well as you will love participating with your guild for some hefty rewards. All in all, seeing how I wasnt so impressed with the movement and overall gameplay, I can sincerely say that the questing does make up for some of the games drawbacks. Most next-gen MMORPGS do not have questing systems as in-depth as MWII.

Graphics and Sounds
Undoubtedly, this is where the game gets easily judged or turned down. The graphics for this game are way behind the times, seeing as they were all based on the older title: Myth Wars. However, some people, such as myself, are attracted to the classical gaming style, rather than the realistic power-guzzling MMORPGS currently on the market. I enjoyed the games graphical style, but even I found the desire to see some sort of improvement in this field. The sound however, was way overdone. In fact, they had too much extra effects and misc. sounds, that I was highly annoyed in little time. What really got me was the looping of a bird that was chirping On that note, the background music was actually well done for the most part. The battle theme is not very fitting with the game, but it is very fast-paced and adrenaline rushing, in a certain context. It quickly reminded me of classic console RPGs. Keeping the background music on, and disabling other sound is a good choice while playing this title.

Personal Recommendation
I must admit, judging this game is very difficult. There is a pretty fine balance between the positive and negative aspects of this game, and therefore a strong standpoint cannot be addressed. If you enjoy classic gaming, or games such as Eudemons Online, or RedStone, you will most certainly love Myth Wars II (or maybe even Myth Wars)! If you are no fan of slower paced games and turn based MMORPGS, this game is simply not for you. I, personally, was impressed with the game. I was expecting an outdated MMO, when it was only released this year! This proves how looks can be very deceiving.

I thoroughly enjoyed the turn based combat, setting aside how complex it may seem at times; having so many units/pets to control. The character classes were very unique, and their skills and overall looks were great, but the customization factor is close to none? you will spot clones of your character quite often. The questing system made the game what it is, for me. It is very detailed, and well thought through. The service provided by the company is also very impressive, seeing as they are still continuously updating the previous title in the series of Myth Wars, as well as still hosting events; however, the cash shop they provide somewhat provokes unfairness. The same applies to Myth Wars II, indefinitely. I also enjoyed the community very much. There were many more people online than I had expected, however some were very childish, so be weary!

As for the features I did not enjoy so much, there is just as much to comment on. The movement was very uninteresting and I thought it to be a little boring, the sound is very obnoxious at times, aside from the background music, leaving my ears almost in pain, and the graphics are easily judged. The cash shop can be abused, leaving some players with advantages over others, which is usually an asset overlooked by companies who actually care for their community now-days. Lastly, the install file was really slow and not only did it take long to finish, it also left my computer in a nearly-frozen state the entire time. Needless to say, I was not very pleased.

Myth Wars II was a very pleasant surprise in my book. I had not expected this game to be so populated and flourishing in the state it is in, giving certain hope for gamers who enjoy classic MMORPGS. Despite the letdowns I have had while playing this game, I am still very satisfied with my experience in-game, and look forward to playing some more in the future. Try this out if you like turn based combat. It may change your perspective on gaming, just a little!